The Details For Nintendo Switch’s Online Service Have Arrived

Nintendo still doesn’t seem to have their online strategy in a place to compete with Sony and Microsoft — or even PC. But with their announced online service for the Switch, the company may have taken a step forward to become a nice addition to your existing multiplayer setup. The service will be free until the end of 2017 and will then only cost $20 a year once it becomes available next year. That $20 will be joined by monthly and 3-month subscriptions for $4 and $8 respectively, granting the player access to online play, the online lobby and voice chat app, and something called the Classic Game Selection.

The latter is likely the most promising aspect of the new online access from Nintendo. The name is apparently subject to change, but Kotaku reached out for some clarification on the service and got an interesting response in return:

“Nintendo Switch Online subscribers will have ongoing access to a library of classic games with added online play. Users can play as many of the games as they want, as often as they like, as long as they have an active subscription.”

Nintendo adds: “Nintendo Switch Online subscribers will be able to play a wide variety of classic games, including Super Mario Bros. 3, Balloon Fight and Dr. Mario. More games will be announced at a later date. At launch the classic game library will include NES games. Super NES games continue to be under consideration, but we have nothing further to announce at this time.”